Book Bites: November 2017

Baby/Toddler:

Henny, Penny, Lenny, Denny & Mike by Cynthia Rylant(Beach Lane Books, October 2017)
Who can resist the words PLOP, FAB, GLUNK and more? Five fish friends love everything about their new home except for Fish Tank cleaning day. When Lenny gets stuck in the castle, only the snail can save him. Cheers all around for friends!

Good Day, Good Night by Margaret Wise Brown, illus. by Loren Long(Harper Collins, October 2017)
A long-lost manuscript by the author of Goodnight Moon has been published with beautiful illustrations by Loren Long (of Otis fame). It’s a gentle book to read in the morning as the day awaits and a final hush time book to read at night. This is sure to become another classic.

The Bad Mood and The Stick by Lemony Snicket(Little Brown Books for Young Readers, October 2017)
Curly is in a bad mood. She finds a stick, pokes her brother and – voila! – the bad mood is gone! But now, it has moved on to her mother. The bad mood and the stick both make their way through town in a clever and engaging story that reminds us how our moods can affect those around us.

Emerging Readers:

The Littlest Train by Chris Gall(Little Brown Books For Young Readers, September 2017)
When a little, toy train is bumped off the track by Mr. Fingers, the train discovers a new world with many more trains to meet. A clever story with great visual interest, this is perfect for the train fan in your house!

Malala’s Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai(Little Brown Books for Young Readers, September 2017)
The author tells how she used to dream of a magic pencil that would give her an extra hour of sleep or wipe away the smell of garbage. As she grew older, she realized there were more important wishes to be had.

Tweens:

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser(HMH Books for Young Readers October 2017)
Five days before Christmas, the Vanderbeekers family’s Scrooge-like landlord, Mr. Beiderman, has decided not to renew the Vanderbeekers’ lease on their Harlem home. When the kids find out, they implement Operation Beiderman to change his mind, and there are comic and disastrous results. Sure to become an instant classic!

Greetings From Witness Protection by Jake Burt(Feiwel & Friends, October 2017)
Mrs. Elena Cercatore Sicurezza has turned state witness against her family, the notorious Cercatore crime mob. In return, the Witness Security Program will provide a new home, new jobs, and new identities for Elena and family. But it may be her own background that puts all of them in danger. Fun, funny, and action-packed for girls and boys.

Teen:

Warcross by Marie Lu(G.P. Putnam’s Books For Young Readers, September 2017)
After the death of her father, Emika Chen has become a professional hacker and bounty hunter to make ends meet. When she accidentally glitches herself into a new virtual reality game, the game’s inventor invites Emika to play in the game championships, on the condition that she helps him to stop a hacker that is threatening the security of Warcross. Everyone is a suspect.

Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart(Delacorte Press, September 2017)
The book begins with chapter 19 (the last chapter) and moves backwards to chapter 1. Jule West-Williams is on the run from police, hiding in hotels while she grieves the suicide of her best friend, Imogen. As the novel progresses and we go back in time, we see more into their relationship, and we begin to question the story. Jule is obviously hiding something, but who is she really? A grieving friend…or a liar?